Language difference doesn’t keep Polish army down - Pages ...

July 16, 2007

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Language difference doesn't keep Polish army down - Pages 8 - 9

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Freedom Watch

Army

Soldier makes birdie putt for Tiger in Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am

BETHESDA, Md. - A Soldier from Fort Belvoir, Va., celebrated the Fourth of July by making the shot of the day in the star-studded Earl Woods Memorial Pro-Am at Congressional Country Club here July 5.

Tournament host Tiger Woods has gone out of his way this week to honor servicemen and women at the AT&T National PGA Tour event.

But another Woods stole the show on the seventh hole.

Army Sgt. Michael Woods of the Army Materiel Command was selected to be Tiger's honorary caddie for just one hole.

As Tiger lined up his birdie putt, he turned to his caddie.

"He asked me to put the bag down and called me over to him, and he asked me: 'What do you see?'" Woods said. "I said: 'Fairway leans to the right, you should hit it to the left.' And he said: 'Here you go.'"

"Show me," Tiger said as he handed his trusty putter to Woods, who promptly knocked down the 12-footer.

And the gallery went wild.

Air Force

Airmen may qualify for Kosovo Campaign Medal

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany On May 3, 2000, President Clinton approved the establishment of the Kosovo Campaign Medal to recognize the accomplishments of military service

DEFENSE DIGEST

members participating in or in direct support of Kosovo operations within established areas of eligibility.

Today, many military members may still not know about the medal or have been recognized for it.

The Air Force Personnel Center at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, is working to get the word out to Airmen that members who qualify for the Kosovo Campaign Medal should contact their local military personnel flights immediately to ensure that their records reflect their service.

To be awarded the KCM, a service member must have been assigned to a military unit for 30 consecutive days, or 60 cumulative days, in support of one of the following operations: ? Operation Allied Force: March 24, 1999 through June 10, 1999; ? Operation Allied Harbor: April 4, 1999 through Sept. 1, 1999; ? Operation Shining Hope: April 4, 1999 through July 10, 1999; ? Operation Noble Anvil: March 24, 1999 through July 20, 1999; ? Operation Joint Guardian: June 11, 1999 to a date to be determined; or

The medal also is awarded for those assigned to one of the following task forces, provided that service was performed within the 3- to 60 days time requirement in the area of engagement. ? Task Force Hawk: April 5, 1999 through June 24, 1999; ? Task Force Saber: March 31, 1999 through July 8, 1999; ? Task Force Falcon: June 11, 1999 to a date to be determined; and ? Task Force Hunter: April 1 through Nov. 1, 1999.

In addition to the Kosovo Campaign Medal, United States military members are also authorized to receive the NATO Medal for peacekeeping services rendered in Kosovo.

Airmen who have documentation showing they qualify for the Kosovo Campaign Medal are encouraged to contact their local military personnel flight immediately for update in the mil-

July 16, 2007

itary personnel data system.

Navy

"Big E" deploys

ABOARD USS ENTERPRISE, At sea - The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1 departed Naval Station Norfolk for a regularly scheduled deployment July 7 in support of the global war on terrorism. This is Enterprise's second deployment within the past 14 months. Big E returned from its most recent deployment Nov. 18.

Enterprise is the flagship for Carrier Strike Group 12, which include the guided-missile destroyers USS Forrest Sherman (DDG 98), USS James E. Williams (DDG 95), USS Arleigh Burke (DDG 51) and USS Stout (DDG 55); the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64); and the fast-attack submarine USS Philadelphia (SSN 690) all based in Norfolk, and also the fast combat support ship USNS Supply (TAOE 6) based in Earle, N.J. There are nearly 7,500 Sailors and Marines in the strike group.

In addition to being the flagship of the strike group, Enterprise is also home to CVW 1. The air wing is comprised of the "Checkmates" of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211 flying the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the "Knighthawks" of VFA-136; the "Sidewinders" of VFA-86; the "Thunderbolts" of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 all flying the F/A-18 Hornet. Also joining CVW 1 are the "Dragonslayers" of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron (HS) 11 flying the SH-60 Seahawk; the "Rooks" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 flying the EA-6B Prowler; the "Screwtops" of VAW-123 flying the E2C Hawkeye; the "Maulers" of Sea Control Squadron (VS) 32 flying the S3B Viking; and the "Rawhides" of Fleet Logistics Support Squadron (VRC) 40 flying the C-2A Greyhound.

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Freedom Watch

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5

COVER A Polish soldier gives out toys and candy to a crowd of children one evening at his field patrol base in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. The Polish Battle Group Company B's mission was to travel throughout the district of Andar and make connections and form friendships with the locals there. (Photo by Spc. Micah E. Clare)

Contents

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Defense Digest

PAGE 4 Coalition forces celebrate Fourth of July PAGE 5 Platelet donation program is first at BAF PAGE 6 Servicemembers supply aid to orphanage PAGE 7 Roads, relationships are top priority for Afghans, Khowst Provincial Reconstruction Team PAGE 8-9

Polish Battle Group overcomes language barrier

PAGE 10 AGS/AECOM Allied Trades Section supports fight with new, improved weapons mount PAGE 11 Freedom Focus PAGE 12-13 The real kite runners flying the Afghan skies PAGE 14 Afghan government provides aid to flood victims PAGE 15 Entertainment Page

Photo by Senior Airman Dilia DeGrego

Army Cpl. Christopher LeRoy, 932nd Blood Support Detachment blood technician, checks Army Sgt. Jennifer Skebong's, 583rd Medlog Company, arm to ensure her blood platelet donation is going as intended. For the first time in the history of Afghanistan, blood platelets are being collected in country for treatment of critically-injured patients.

14

Photo by Army Capt. Ashley Dellavalle

Paktika province engineer Khalid Bahadur, director of the Paktika Rural Development Ministry, coordinates with Soldiers of the Sharana Provincial Reconstruction Team to distribute humanitarian aid supplies to the residents of Janan Kala village.

Freedom Watch is a weekly publication of Combined Joint Task Force-82.

CJTF-82 Commander Army Maj. Gen. David M. Rodriguez RC East Public Affairs Officer Army Lt. Col. David A. Accetta

Freedom Watch, a Department of Defense publication, is published each Monday by the American Forces Network - Afghanistan Print Section at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Printed circulation is 5,000 copies per week.

In accordance with DoD Instruction 5120.4, this DoD newspaper is an authorized publication for members of the U.S. military overseas.

Contents of the Freedom Watch are not necessarily the official view of, or endorsed by, the U.S. government or the Department of Defense.

Deadline for submissions is noon local each Friday. All submissions are subject to editing by the AFN-A Print Section, located in Bldg. 415, Room 205, Bagram Airfield. We can be reached at DSN 318-231-3338.

Freedom Watch Staff

Commander - Air Force Maj. John Bryan

Superintendent - Senior Master Sgt. Richard Simonsen

NCOIC - Air Force Staff Sgt. Oshawn Jefferson

Editor/Print Chief - Senior Airman Brian Stives

Visit the CJTF-82 Web site at cfc-a.centcom.mil

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Freedom Watch

NEWS

July 16, 2007

Coalition forces celebrate Fourth of July

Photo by Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman

The competition on the volleyball court was as hot as the day for 1st Battalion 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division during the Fourth of July celebration held at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Servicemembers from the multi-nation installation participated in a day of events that included a pistol marksmanship competition, dunk tank, sporting events and a barbecue.

Photo by Spc. Matthew Leary

While celebrating the Fourth of July, Soldiers from Combined Task Force Fury take to the streets of Forward Operating Base Salerno for an organized 5/10 km. race.

Photo by Army Capt. Vanessa R. Bowman

Airman 1st Class Mariano Marcelino, Logistics Task Force-82, keeps his eye on the ball during the Kandahar Airfield Fourth of July pool tournament.

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NEWS

Freedom Watch

Page 5

Platelet donation program is first at BAF

Story and photo By Senior Airman Dilia DeGrego Combined Joint Task Force -82 Public Affairs

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan - They are charged with a mission unique to that of any Coalition force servicemember in theater, and they are the first of their kind in the Army to accomplish this mission.

The eight-member team from the 932nd Blood Support Detachment, Task Force Med; is the first to collect blood platelets. These platelets are one of the key components necessary to stimulate blood clotting, which stops bleeding enabling treatment of critically injured patients in Afghanistan.

In an effort to continue improving medical care for those in need, the team began working to make this donation program possible here two-years ago.

"[Medical personnel] started doing this in Iraq because the whole blood demand for platelets was so high," said Army Maj. Barbara Bachman, 932nd BSD. "Platelets are only good for five days from when you collect them to when they expire, so generally, the Department of Defense didn't want to bring platelets into theater because they are so hard to maintain."

"Drawing whole blood for platelets is only good for eight hours and that's an even shorter shelf-life," Bachman continued. "So after [medical personnel] saw how much whole blood they were using [because of the need for platelets], they started [doing platelet donations], decreasing the number of whole blood and emergency draws by 50 percent."

According to Bachman, the 932nd BSD then planned to also bring it to Afghanistan. Their idea was to bring the same level of [medical] care to Afghanistan that Iraq is providing.

"So far we have about 200 people on our database, which is great, but we need more," Bachman said. "If there

Army Cpl. Christopher LeRoy, 932nd Blood Support Detachment blood technician, begins Army Sgt. Jennifer Skebong's, 583rd Medical Logistics Company, blood platelet donation. For the first time, blood platelets are being collected in Afghanistan for treatment of critically injured patients.

were to be a mass casualty or a couple of 'bleeders,' they can get 50 units or more, essentially wiping out our whole database."

The team began collecting platelets from eligible donors June 8 and is looking to build their donor database.

"We encourage everyone to get screened," added Army Sgt. Jackie S. Mims, 932nd BSD blood technician and native of Birmingham, Ala. "Many times people may think they are not eligible to donate, but they are later surprised to find that they are. Just get screened."

Bachman explained due to the team's small size, they have a four-person team designated to visit various locations on BAF every Saturday to ensure a constant flow of possible donors is acquired and assure those interested in donating are screened in a timely manner.

The screening process takes 25 minutes and requires the possible donor to answer a series of personal medical history questions, as well as give a blood sample. Once the screening is complete,

the blood sample is sent back to the U.S. for blood typing and testing. The possible donor will know within two weeks whether or not they are eligible to donate. If eligible, their name will be added to the platelet donation database here and they may be encouraged to donate on a regular basis every two-tothree days.

The actual platelet donation usually lasts between one-and-a-half to two hours. A donor's blood is drawn into an aphaeresis device where it is spun in the centrifuge. This removes the platelets for collection and the remaining blood components are cycled back into the patient. The body replenishes those platelets within 48 hours.

"[The platelets] go to anyone who needs them," Bachman said, a Maple Heights, Ohio, native. "[Medical personnel] don't differentiate when someone needs blood. They give them blood."

"Our ultimate goal is to save lives," added Army Cpl. Christopher LeRoy, 932nd BSD blood technician from Fort Hood, Texas. "[Donating platelets] saves lives."

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